Month: July 2015

I am not a cookie person. My kids love to have cookies anytime. I had Nutella at home so made Nutella Cookie Cups . It is very easy and can be made in 20 minutes with minimal ingredients. You can serve fruits, salads, custard or ice cream and no hassle of washing utensils .I am sure it will be a hit among kids and elders too.

Recipe for Nutella Cookie Cups:

Ingredients:

½ Cup Maida

1 Tbsp Nutella

½ Tsp Baking Powder

½ Tbsp Cold Butter

1 Tsp of Milk

Method:

Sieve the flour and baking powder. Add cold butter and mix well untill the butter becomes soft nd melts. Add Nutella and milk .Mix all the ingredients together to form a soft dough. Preheat the oven at 170C. Pat the dough in the generously greased muffin tray and place it in the preheated oven for 10 Mins.

Remove from the oven and allow it to cool.

You can eat it as it is or serve icream,custard,salads or fruits of your choice. I bet you will not stop at one. Enjoy!!

This recipe hardly takes 10 minutes. No oven and no microwave needed. Healthy and Yummy too. Great way to incorporate dry fruits into your child’s diet My family loved it.

Recipe for Marie Biscuits Choco Balls.

Ingredients:

12 Marie biscuits

2.5 Tbsp Unsweetened cocoa powder

1.5 Cups Almonds powdered

2 Tsp Milk powder

2 Tbsp Sugar powderd

2 Tsp Luke warm milk

Condensed Milk- As per your sweet tooth

Method:

Powder Almonds, Marie biscuits and Sugar separately.

Take a bowl mix all the above ingredients (use 3/4 of almond powder as you need some later) mentioned above except milk and condensed milk. Add milk and condensed milk to the dry mixture and make a soft dough. Grease your hands and shape it as desired and roll it in the almond powder.
Refrigerate for 40 to 60 minutes.

Garnish with m&m chocolates and serve. Stays fresh in the fridge for 2 to 4 days.

Potato contains vitamins and minerals, as well as an assortment of phytochemicals, such as carotenoids and natural phenols.I love Potatoes in any form but avoid fried stuff.I had some baby potatoes but was bored of the regular sabzis. To add on as always my kids said make something yummy and different.

I thought of making Multigrain Potato Roast so that some multi grains could be incorporated into our diet. This recipe is very easy, healthy and yummy too.

I love Raita. I make different types of Raita . I can have raita anytime to satisfy my hunger pangs in the evening. They are filling,easy to digest and light on your hips too. I make Spinach Potato Raita and that is another way to incorporate greens into our diet. This is cooling and good in Summers to beat the heat.

Bored of the regular Sabudana or Poha Upma? Have you all tried combination of sabudana and poha to make upma? No? Then you have to definitely try this. It is a lipsmacking dish and easy to cook too. Here goes the Recipe:

Heat 3 tsp of oil in a pan. Add hing and jeera and saute for 1 min.Add haldi and green chillies. After 1 min add chopped onions and roast well for 10 mins. First add sabudana and roast till done. Later add the soaked poha and mix well. Add sugar and chopped corriander.Add salt to taste and coarsely ground peanut powder. Mix well and saute for 5 mins.
Switch off the stove. Add lemon juice and mix well.Garnish with sev and corriander and serve hot.

My Kids love Tofu / Soya. They were bored of the usual gravy that I always make. As it was long weekend, my kids wanted to eat something nice and yummy. I was also in a mood to cook some new dish.

This experiment was successful. Got a thumbs up from my Hubby, Parents and my greatest critics ie my boys. They always give an honest opinion and that encourages me to try different recipes and also experiment.

Recipe for Balti Tofu/Soya in Roasted Bell Pepper Gravy

Ingredients:

150 Gms firm Tofu / Soya cut into cubes

1 Green Bell Pepper (Big)

1 Yellow Bell Pepper(Big)

1 Tsp Red Chilli Powder

1 Tsp Kitchen King Masala/ Garam Masala

1 Tsp Jeera/ Cumin

Salt to Taste

¼ Tsp Haldi/ Turmeric

3 Onions ( Medium Size) cut into pcs

4 Red Tomatoes( Medium Size) cut into pcs

½ Tsp Ginger Paste

½ Tsp Garlic Paste

20 Cashews

Chopped Corriander to Garnish

8 Pepper Corns

Salt to Taste

1 Tsp Oil

For Marinaton:

½ Tsp Chilli powder

¼ Tsp Amchur/Mango Powder

¼ Tsp Coarse Pepper powder

¼ Tsp Garam Masala

¼ tsp of Oil

Method:

Marinate the Soya Cubes by adding all the ingredients and leave it for 25 Mins.

Roast Green and Yellow bell peppers on direct flame and keep it aside. Do not peel the skin.

Heat ½ tsp of oil in a wok. Add Pepper Corns, Cashews and Ginger Garlic Paste. Saute for 1 min. Add onions and roast till they turn slightly brown. Add the tomatoes and mix well. Leave it on a low flame for 5 mins. Switch off the flame and let the mixture cool.

Once the mixture has cooled, add the roasted bell peppers and grind . The mixture should be slightly coarse. The mixture for Gravy is ready.

Heat ½ Tsp oil in a wok. Add Jeera /Cumin, Haldi/Turmeric, Chilli Powder and Kitchen King Masala/Garam Masala. Ensure it does not burn. Add he Marinated tofu/ Soya and roast for 10 mins on Low flame. Add the Bell pepper onion paste and salt. Let it simmer on low flame for 8 mins.

Switch off the flame and serve hot with Rotis/Phulkas.

Notes: In case you don’t like Soya, you can substitute it with Potatoes, Paneer or meat.

I feel Baking is Therapeutic. I usually bake on weekends. The whole house is filled with the aroma of fresh bread and buns. My Kids love to eat buns/breads and Garlic knots as soon as it is out from the Oven.

A smile on their face while I remove the baking tray from oven is what makes my day.

This is one of the easiest recipes for Garlic Knots.

Recipe for Garlic Knots.

Ingredients:

3 Cups Maida/ All Purpose Flour/Bread Flour

7 Gms – active dry yeast

1 Ttbsp granulated sugar

¼ Tsp Salt

2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

60 Ml milk

1 cup + 2 tbsp lukewarm water

4 cloves garlic grated/Minced

4 Tbsp salted butter, melted

1 Tsp dried oregano

1 Tsp Dried Italian Herbs

Method:

Mix the sugar, yeast and warm water and let the yeast proof for 10 minutes.

Combine the flour, yeast mixture, salt, extra virgin olive oil and milk in the bowl and knead until the dough for 20 to 25 Mins. The dough should stretch and not break. Make it into a ball and let it proof in a greased bowl covered with a clean kitchen towel for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Divide the dough into 8 parts and shape them into knots ( by rolling the dough into 8 long ropes. Tie a knot in the centre , then fold the rope underlying the knot over the top, and fold the rope overlying underneath and secure it in the centre ).

Let the knots rise on a baking tray covered with baking paper for another 45 minutes. In the meantime, melt the butter and combine it with grated or minced garlic, oregano and Italian Herbs.

Just before baking, gently brush the garlic and herb butter over the knots. Place the Baking tray in a Pre heated Oven and bake it 200C for 35 Mins.

I am sure everyone loves Palak Paneer. My kids love it too. This dish is a must at my place whenever I get fresh Palak . I wanted to try a different combo this time and it was a hit. The colour and nutrition was retained without too much masala and compromise on taste.

Recipe for Baby Potato Palak Paneer:

Ingredients:

10-12 Baby Potatoes boiled and peeled

10 -12 Paneer cubes(Medium Sized)

A bunch of fresh Palak

1 Onion finely Chopped

¼ Tsp Turmeric/Haldi

1 Tsp Cumin / Jeera

1 Tsp Red Chilli Powder

1 Tsp Garam Masala

Salt to Taste

1 Inch Ginger finely Chopped

8 Garlic Pods finely Chopped

2 Tbsp of Fresh Cream( I have used Amul cream here)

1 Green Chilli

2 Tsp Oil

Method:

Wash Palak leaves and divide into 2 parts. One Part is to be chopped. Blend the other half along with a green chilli to a smooth paste.

Heat oil in a wok. Add Turmeric/ Haldi, Chilli powder and Cumin/Jeera and Saute for few seconds. Add Chopped Ginger ,Garlic and chopped onion and saute till the onions turn slightly brown. Add the boiled baby Potatoes and roast till they turn golden brown. Once the Potatoes are done add Paneer cubes and mix well. Add Garam masala and salt .Saute for a minute. Add the chopped Palak leaves and Palak chilli paste. Close the lid and let it simmer on low flame for 10 mins.

Once done, switch off the flame. Add the fresh cream and serve hot with Rotis or Phulkas.

Healthy and yummy snack that satisfies your hunger pangs and can be prepared within 10 mins.Can be eaten by young and old.
Another addition to my experiments.I am sure it will be loved by all and no one can eat just one.